Miller Magazine Issue: 139 July 2021

62 COVER STORY MILLER / july 2021 Inventory management at milling and grain storage facilities used to mean climbing bins and taking man- ual measurements with a tape measure, writing down measurements, and transferring them to a spreadsheet. Grain inventory today can be a highly automated process where a level sensor replaces climbing bins and cloud- based software applications replace spreadsheets. Facilities today can benefit from very timely and accu- rate inventory viewed anywhere there is internet access. Whether on-site or working remotely, real-time data is accessible to workers from a phone, tablet, or personal computer. Cloud-based applications provide advanced features and convenience compared to spreadsheets. Enhanced software features enable facilities to optimize capacity of storage bins, provide data for use in preparing au- dits and governmental reporting, assist in valuing grains, oilseeds, and other commodities for overseas export or transport via railcar. A Cloud-based system can be adapted for small to very large operations. It is not necessary to install the system on all bins or at all locations initially. It may be applied over a period of time to allow for budgetary ap- proval, installation by employees or contractual workers, and future expansion of operations. Each bin is set up with a unique name and the vessel dimensions, which are used for estimating the percent- age full, volume, and bushels or metric tons. The differ- ent grains stored are named and assigned to vessels, allowing the user to sort bins by the grain it contains. Any number of locations may be established based upon the size and scale of the overall operation. Data can be viewed by site, contents, or alert status. Readings for each bin can be presented as mass in tons or bushels, available capacity or headspace in tons or bushels, the volume of grain in cubic feet or meters, the height of the grain in the bin, and the distance to the grain from the sensor. Each bin can be set with alert no- tifications via email or text message to a phone to notify specific personnel if a high- or low-level condition has been met. A Cloud-based inventory system using intuitive software, level sensors, and network de- vices is an investment that will help to optimize the storage and processing of grain, flours and feeds. It offers simplicity and speed, while enabling grain and milling operations to keep their personnel safe from the risks of climbing and more efficient at their jobs. Cloud-Based Apps Transforming Grain Storage Jenny Nielson Christensen, MBA Vice President of Marketing BinMaster